Acetylene-gas generator



June 2. 1925 1,540,250

.1. H. BRQWN ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR Filed Oct. 16, 1924. 2 Sheets-Sheet1 I INVENTOR A TTORNEYS June 2, 1925.

J. H. BROWN AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR Filed Oct. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 252 u f) 5 J] g z l /.9 %9

INVENTOR Jameaflfirazu'n.

I ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v mains H. BROWN, or BUTTE,M01\TTAN.A.. 5

ncnmvtnnneas ennnnaron. I

Application filed October is, 1924. Serial No. 744,032.

To all whomz't may concern."

Be it known that 1, James H.BRowN, a'

of which the following is a in operation and will remain cool at alltimes.

a generator in which carbide and gascollectmg cylinders are depressedWithin a water chamber formed within thecasing of the generator andwithin an inner cylinder so arranged as to form an air of the casingchamber above a portion of the water chamher. her

opposes the pressure within the collect- 1119 0 cylinder in such mannerthat thewater can only come up into the collecting cylinder whenpressure in the latter falls to a predetermined point, and it is onlywhen the water does come up into the collecting cylinder that it reachesthe carbide in'the carbide holder so that gas will be generated. The gasgenerated rises within the collecting cylinder into a gas storagechamber, through a controlling valve which insures a steady relief ofgas pre'ssurefrmn the collecting cylinder and thuswhen pressure ac.-

cuinul'ates in said cylinder it forces the water to recede from thecarbide holder and against the pressure Within the air chainben whichlatter pressure again forces the water up to the carbide holder when:pressure within the receiving chamber is again loweredby virtueof theescape of gas there'- from through said valve.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my present invention and partof this specification,-

Figure l is a central vertical section through my improvedgenerator;

Acetylene The air pressure within said air chaining cylinder and escapesfrom the collect '10 at a point spaced from forming a p 29,- the latterforming a resistor the lower angles to figure, I q

Figure 8 1s a top plan view, and

Figure a is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1. v

Referring now to these figures my 1mproved'generator includes a verticalcylindrical-casing 10 having an upper reduced cylindrical portion 11with an annular offset 12 betweentliese portions, the top of the upperreduced portion 11' being open and being closed in the operation of thegenerator by means of a flat closure plate13 held in place by a clamp14: hingedly mountedat one end as at 15 to oneside of the said open topand engaged atits opposite side by a clampingscrewlti working ona apivoted threaded; bolt 17. This clamp 14.- Generally speakingn'iyinvention proposes The casing '10, which may have side han dles 19 asseen in Figure 2 for its con venient transportation from place to place,

forms Within the lower portion thereof a Water chamber 20 and tion ofsaid chamber a sloping'bottom J21 anda cleanout-opening and plug 22atthe lower portion of said sloping bottom.

Within the casing and rigidly fixed in place is an in'ner casingcylinder 23 whose body has an enlarged upper cylindrical por- Figure lon the line2 2of said has at the lower portion Secured b0 OffSQil y ofthe casing and alsohas a -flaringly enlarged lower skirt portion 25,-the lower outeredge of which extends into engagement'with the innersurface of the casing the sloping bottom 21' and is recessed around saidedge treat-26" so that the water chamber thus includesthe lower portionof the inner cylinder 23 aswell as the lower portion-of the 'casingaround said cylinder, up to the filling neck 27 project ng from the sideof the casingasin Figure 1.

Diametrically across the lower surface of the lower skirt portion 25 ofthe inner casing cylinder 23 is a supporting strip 28 having a centralupwardly olfset portion screened end 30 of a' cylindrical'carbide holder31 adapted to contain carbide in the Figure 2 is a similar viewtaken at'right form of cakes 32, thelower portion of the carbide holder havingdiametrically outstanding lugs 33.

ing cylinder 34 is disposed, with; end engaging the supporting strip 28and with its wall spaced from the wall of the carbide holder to permito-f'theupward sage of generated gas to the gas collecting chamber 35 ofsaid cylinder. The wall of the cylinder 34 is likewise spaced from thebody 23 of the inner casing c linder and the water extending up into tis cylinder is prevented from passage upwardlyinto the collectingcylinder 34,,e gcept ,to the slight extentshown. by virtueof the factthat the upper end of thegas collecting cylinder is closed and theentrapped air, as well asgas after the start ofoperations controls thesurface of the fluid in the lowermost portion of the collecting cylinder; maintaining the same below the lower end of the carbide holder 31except when such pressure falls below a predetermined point. v The gasescapes ing cylinder g34-into the upper reduced ;por

tion 11 of the casing which forms, in

connection with the upper enlarged portion24 of the inner casingcylinder above the level of fluid, a gas-storage chamber 1 37. lVhen gasescaping through the con- 'tionrol; the ga's collecting cylinder-'34rises.

whereinthe weight of water as at= undertrolling valve 36 into thestoragechamber 37 r lowers pressure within the gas collectmg chamber,below a predetermined point,-;the level ofnfiuid in the lowerporportion 24ofithe inner casing cylinder, predetermined pressure beingintroduced into this, chamber through eithe'na supply valve 1 39 showninFigure 1 pr throug-hpressure control valve- 39 which as seen in Figure2' connects chamber 38 with the gas storage cha1nber'37-. Through thiscommunication there isjallowed an interchange of pressures pressurechamber 38' acts in opposition to pressure turn allows pressure 111chamber 38 to build up to any,pointfdesi-redt By theclosing of thisvalve 39, pressure ceases to raise and is heldpermanently in. chamber38;

-t-hus, by this interchange of pressures, pres-i sure may beraised'fronratmospheric pressure to any. desired point without outsideassistance. Pressure withinr chamber 38' acts in oppositionto thepressure within the, gas collecting =-cylinder 34 and it is obvious thatby utilizing gas; through the casing through a controlling valve 36 attheaipper endof the collect- .in storage chamber 37, which'in valve 39instead of air, I avoid the danger of an explosion, which often resultsfrom Around the carbide holder a gasHcollect- 1 its lower? themixture ofairand acetylene gas at certain. temperatures."

The gas collecting cylinder 34 has upper internal guldes 40 which engagethe upper portion of the carbide holder in order to bers 41 engageableby'the lugs 33 of the carbide holder so as not only to properly spacethe lower portion of the carbide holder within, the cylinder? but alsoprevent vertical movement of the carbide holder independent of the gascollecting cylinder. The gas collecting cylinder is in turn held inproperly spaced relation within the inner cylinder 23 by virtue of theengagement of its lower end withv the central seat portion 29 of thecross strip 28 and is further engaged at its 7 upper portion by internalguide members 42- extending ln wardly from the lower end of the upperreduced portion 11 of the casing. Communicating with the upper reducedportion 11' of the c'asingand thus with the gas storage chamber 37 is asafety valve 43 and also attached thereto is a pressure gauge 44,thevlatter disposed diametrically opposite to a flash baclr'chamber 45into which below the level of water thereof opens the outer end of a gasoutlet pipe 46 whose inner end opens into .the'gas storage chamber 37and intermediate whose ends is a checkzvalve47r The flash back chamberhas a filling neck 'andp'lug 48 and ja lower cleanout opening IIIannular rim 51 at the upper" end of the re duced portion '11 of-thecasing and opening upwardly through this rim and normally closedby thecover plate13 is the upper end ofan air pipe 52 whose lower end opensinto the air pressure chamber 38 before-' mentioned, closure plate 13'being provided with a central stufling box 53 upwardly through whichthestem 54 of the controllingivalve 36 is mounted. This stem 54hasan'a1'1gul'ar-upper external portion provided with adownturned extremity55, the latter disposed-above a curvedrib 56 of the clamp 14 when thevalve is in open position, said rib beingcut away at one end as plainlyindicated in Figure 3 so as to thus force movement of the upper angularportion of the valve stem toclosed position of the valve before theclamp 14 can be raised to release andpermit romoval of the top closureplate 13. hen the upper angular portion of valve stem 54 is turned toaline with the cutaway end of the rib 56 it is obvious'that upon removalof the nut 16, the clamp 14 may be raised andthe top closure plate 13will thus be loosened so that pressure within the airpressure chamber 38is instantly relieved through the pipe 52. By grasping the upper angularend of the valve stem 54 the top closure plate 18, gas collecting cylinder 34 and the carbide holder 31 may be simultaneously removed inorder that the carbide holder may be replenished and upon replacement ofthese parts it is obvious that the top closure plate may be readily andeasily clamped in proper position after which the desired air pressureis introduced into chamber 38 through the valve 39, or

is gradually raised through the control valve 39 as previouslydescribed.

It is thus obvious that in operation there will be intermittent periodsof generation of gas according to the rise and fall of pres sure withinthe collecting chamber 35, the level of fluid therein rising to thecarbide by the pressure within thepressure chamber 38, and with thewater being forced to recedebelow and away from the carbide as soon asgas collects in suflicient quantity and pressure within the chamber 35to overcome the pressure within the chamber 38.

The generator may thus be very properly termed a balanced pressuregenerator; and can be readily operated at any desired pressure fromatmospheric up to fifteenpounds per square inch, the maximum allowableworking a pressure for tree acetylene gas. The generator is extremelysimple, durable, eflicient in operation and inexpensive to manufactureand is singularly'devoid of all mechanical parts such as weight motors,clock motors, gas motors, diaphragms, and other moving parts, generallyrelied upon in acetylene generators, has shown are in every instanceattended by a fluctuation of pressures at the point of delivery and aresusceptible of ready breakage, early deter oration and generallyinaccurate.

It is to be understood, of course that various details of the structureas just described may be varied or modified, and that I reserve allsuchas fall within the spirit of my invention and within the terms of thefollowing claims.

I claim: r

1. An acetylene gas generator including a casing forming in the lowerportion thereof a water chamber, an inner casing cylinder.

within the said casing forming with the latter a pressure chamber abovethe surface of the fluid therein and having a lower flared end connectedto the casing and spaced'above the base thereof, the flared portionbeing recessed to permit the fluid to passinto as well and whichexperience and theupper portion of the casing a gas storage chamberhaving an outlet, a gas collecting cylinder opening downwardly withinthe casing and into the fluid thereof, said cylinder being within and inspaced relation to the said inner casing cylinder and havingv a valvedoutlet at its upper end opening into the gas storage chamber, and acarbide holder fixed within the lowerportion of the said collectingcylinder and removable with the latter through the top of the casing andtoward and away from which the surface of the fluid within thecollecting cylinder is shiftable under control of the opposing pressures within the collecting cylinder and the said pressure chamber.

2. An acetylene gas generator including'a casing, a cylinder within thecasing attached at its upper and lower ends thereto and in communicationat its lower portion with the casing, a downwardly opening gascollecting cylinder within and spaced from said first mentionedcylinder, a supporting cross member upon which the lower end of saidcollecting cylinder rests, a carbide holderopening downwardly within andspaced from the gas collecting'cylinder and supported by the latter formovement into and out of the casing with the said collecting cylinder,said casing having a lower water;

chamber: and a pressure chamber above the I water chamber, means wherebyto introduce pressure within said pressure chamber, said inner cylinderforming within its upper portion and the upper a gas storage chamberhaving an outlet, a

' valved outlet at th'e'upper portion of the said collecting cylinderopening a into the said gas storage chamber, and acontrolling stem forthe valve of the cylinderoutlet, projecting exteriorly through a capclosing the upper end of the casing. a

3. An acetylene gas'generator including a casing, a cylinder within thecasing attachedat its upper and lower ends thereto and in communicationat its lower portion with the casing, a downwardly opening gascollecting cylinder within and spaced from said first mentionedcylinder, a supporting cross member upon which the lower end of saidcollecting cylinder rests, a carbide holder opening downwardly withinand spaced from the gas collecting cylinder and supported by thelatterformovementinto and out of the casing with the said collecting cylinder,said casing having a lower water chamber and a pressure chamber: abovethe water chamber, meanswhereby-to introduce pressure within saidpressure chamber, said innericylinder forming within'its upper-portionand the'upper portion portion of the casmg tion of thesaidcollectingcylinder opening. into the said 1 gas storage chamber, acap norma-ll 'c-la in ed noon the u er o en end.

otthe casing, having a central stufling box, and a stem projectingupwardly from the outlet valve of 'thecollecting cylinder and extendingthrough said. stuffing box.

4. An acetylene gas generator including acasing, a Cylinder within thecasing atintroduce pressure within jsaid pressure.

chamber,'said inner cylinder forming. within its upper portion and theupper portion of the-casing agas storage chamber having ainoutlet, avalved outlet atgthe upper portion of the Saidcollecting cylinderopening into-the said gasstorage chamber, a cap normally clamped uponthe upper-opei'i end of the casing, .havingaicentral. stuiiing box, astein projecting upwardly from the outlet valve of thecollecting'cylinder and extending through said stufii'ng box, and. aclamp for securing thejcover inplace having means cooperating with thevalve stem 'to prevent removal of the clamp except when thevalve:

has been shifted to closed position.

5. An acetylene gasgenerator,including acasing having a lower waterchamber and a pressurechamber therein above the water chamber, an innercylinder within the casing and secured at its upper and lower endsthereto, havinga lower flared and recessed portion and also having alower cross sup port, -'a gas collecting cylinder opening downwardlywithin the water chamber-and positioned within the said inner cylinderin spaced relation to the latter and; upon said cross support,said'casing also forming in its upper portion agas storage chamber, an

outlet valve at the upper portion 'ofthe col.- lecting cylinder, openinginto said gas storage chamber, and a carbide holdingw cylinder openingdownwardly within the gas collecting cylinder and located therein andsupported thereby for the purposev described.

6. An acetylenegas generator including a casing having a flu d chamber,means forming a gasstorage chamber open at its lower portion to thereceptlon otqflu d from said; fluid chamber, a gas collect ng dev1ce.1nthe iuid chamber, a

gas chamber-and opening downwardly into the fluid fith'in the lowerportion of said outlet openin "to said storage chamber,

means fformin g apressurechamber within the said casing on thesurface ofthe fluid in the fluid chamber and opposing thepressure within the gascollecting device [through the fluid of the fluid chamber and the lowerportion of the chamber, and carbide holding means within the gascollecting vice to and iron which the level of fluid shifts under vations of pressure, in said pressurechambers, V i

7. An acetylenegas generator including a casing having a fluid chambeiymeans forming agasstorage chan'iber open at its lower portion to thereception of fluid from said gas collecting device in the gas chamberand opening downwardly into the fluid within the lower portion of saidchamber, said" device forming thereina collecting chamberhaving an uppervalved gas outlet opening into said storage chamber, means forming apressure chamber within the said casing on the surface of the fluid inthe fluidchz'unberv and opposing the pressure within the gas collectingdevice through the fluid of the fluid chamber and the lower portion ofthegas chamber, andcarbide holding, means withinthe gascOl lectiingdevice to and from whichthe level of fluid shifts under v ariationsfofpressure insaid pressure chambers,,said carbidehold ing'means beingsupported by the gas col-.

lect-ing device for removal with the latter from the casing inorder toreplenish the supply of carbide.

8. An acetylene gas generator including a casing having a fluid chamber,means'forming a gasstorage chamber open at its lower portion to thereception of fluid from said fluid chamber, a gas collecting device inthe gas chamber and opening downwardly into the fluid within the lowerportion of said chambensaid device forming therein a collecting chamberhaving an upper valvedgas outletopening into said storage chamber, meansforming a pressure chamber within thesaid; casing. on the surface of thefluid in the fluid chamber and opposing the pressure within the gascollecting device through the fluid of the fluidchamber and the lowerportion of the gas chamber, andcarbide holding means within the gascollecting devicelto andffrom which, the levelof fluid shifts undervariations of pressure in said pressure. chambers, and a. valve disposedexternally ofthe casing for manual control, having communicatingconnections with the said gas storage chamber and the said pres surechamber.

( JAMESH BROWN. 7

